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John Walker (abt. 1796 - 1855)

John Walker
Born about [location unknown]
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 17 May 1838 (to 8 Jan 1855) in Launceston, Tasmania, Australiamap
[children unknown]
Died at about age 59 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australiamap
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Profile last modified | Created 2 Aug 2022
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Biography

John Walker was born about 1796, as he was aged 58 when he died in January 1855.

John Walker entered the Royal Navy on 9 May 1806 as a First class volunteer on board the Swallow sloop under Captain Alexander Milner. He would have been about ten years old.The Swallow was employed in the Channel, and off the coasts of Spain and Portugal. He attained the rating of midshipman in early 1809.[1]

In August 1809, five months after he had attained the rating of Midshipman, he removed to the Norge, a British Third Rate ship of the line with 74 guns. The Norge was commanded by

  1. 1808 - 1809 Captain Edmund Boger
  2. 1810 - 1811 Captain John Sprat Rainier
  3. 1811 Captain William Waller
  4. 1812 - 1814 Captain Samuel Jackson
  5. 1814 - 1815 Captain Charles Dashwood

With the Norge Walker served off Lisbon, at the defence of Cadiz, in the Mediterranean and North Sea, and on the North American and West India stations. From late 1813 he was Master's Mate. He took part, in 1814-15, in the operations against New Orleans. HMS Norge was paid off in August 1815. On leaving the Norge Walker was presented with a commission bearing the date 17 February 1815. He was on half-pay from 1815.[1][2]

In 1821 the crew of the Norge and other members of an 1814 convoy shared in the distribution of head-money arising from the capture of the American gun-boats and sundry bales of cotton. In 1847 the Admiralty issued a clasp (or bar) marked "14 Dec. Boat Service 1814" to survivors of the boat service, including the crew of the Norge who claimed the clasp to the Naval General Service Medal.[3]

John Walker married Theresa Chauncy on 17 May 1838 in Launceston, Tasmania. From the Launceston Advertiser of 24 May 1838:

MARRIED.—At St. John's Church, on the 17th inst., Lieut. JOHN WALKER, R.N., to THERESA, daughter of W.S. CHAUNCY, Esq., of London.[4]

They moved to Adelaide, South Australia, where Walker carried on business as a general merchant and shipping agent.

John Walker was a navy lieutenant but was often referred to as captain.

John Walker chaired a local landowners meeting and the settlement of Walkerville was named after him.

From The Colonist (Sydney, NSW : 1835 - 1840), Saturday 19 January 1839, page 3:

WALKERVILLE.-At a recent meeting of the proprietors of the preliminary section on the Torrens, immediately adjoining North Adelaide, purchased from Governor Hindmarsh for 1100l,. and now laid out by Messrs, Hindmarsh and Lindsay, surveyors, as a village, containing 100 acre allotments, it was proposed that the name of Walkerville should be given to the property, in compliment to our excellent colonist, Captain Walker, R. N., who is also a considerable proprietor. The proposal was agreed to unanimously; and Walkerville promises speedily to rival Hindmarsh Town, and become the most delightful suburb of Adelaide. Allotments, we are informed, are selling in both villages at from 25l. to 50l. each, according to situation.[5]

During the 1840s, John Walker fell victim to overspeculation in land value and a South Australian financial depression. He was imprisoned briefly for debt in 1841.[6][7] In 1849 he left the colony with wife Theresa to take up a government position in Tasmania.

John Walker died 8 January 1855. From the Hobart Colonial Times of 11 January 1855:

On Monday, the 8th of December, at Government Cottage, Launceston, LIEUT. WALKER, R.N , Port Officer, aged 58 years, deeply lamented by a large circle of friends, whose esteem he had gained by his affability of manner, and his undeviating rectitude in the discharge of his duty The funeral will leave Government Cottage on Wednesday, the 10th instant, at 4 p m.[8] [Should be January but misreported in newspapers.][9]

From the The Cornwall Chronicle of 10 January 1855 and repeated in the Adelaide Times 27 January 1855 :

DEATH OF LIEUT. JOHN WALKER, R.N.
The death of this gentleman, who was formerly a well known merchant of this city, is thus recorded in the Launceston Cornwall Chronicle of the 10th inst. :—
It is our painful duty to record the death on Monday evening, of Lieutenant John Walker, who for some years past has filled the appointments of Port Officer of Hobart Town, and Harbour Master of this port. Lieutenant Walker, as will be seen by the following extract from O'Byrne, has been on half-pay since 1815. He commanded in the mercantile marine, trading to India and these colonies, until about the year 1839, when he removed to Adelaide, and entered largely into mercantile transactions, in which not being successful he returned to this colony, where he has since been employed in the Port Office department. Lieutenant Walker was of amiable temperament, and accommodating and courteous in the discharge of his official duties. In private life he was the warm hearted friend and excellent companion. He lived respected and died lamented. O'Byrne furnishes the following brief sketch of Lieutenant Walker's naval career :—
WALKER (Lieut. 1815, F-P., 10 ; H-P., 31.) — John Walker, (a) entered the Navy 9th May, 1806, as Fst-cl. Vol. on board the Swallow sloop, Capt. Alex. Milner, employed in the channel, and off the coast of Spain and Portugal. In August, 1809, five months after he had attained the rating of Midshipman, he removed to the Norge, 74; and in that ship commanded by Capts. John Sprat, Rainer, and Chas. Dashwood, he continued to serve off Lisbon, at the defence of Cadiz, in the Mediterranean, and North Sea, and on the North American and West India stations, until August, 1815 —the last 19 months in the capacity of Master's Mate. He took part, in 1814 15, in the operations against New Orleans, including the Battle of Lake Borgne in 1815. On leaving the Norge he was presented with a commission bearing date 17th February, 1815. He has since been on half-pay.[10][11]

John Walker and his wife had no children.

His widow lodged a claim for oustanding half-pay from the navy and received 28 pounds 5 shillings.[12][13]

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 O'Byrne, William R. (1849). "Walker, John (a)" . A Naval Biographical Dictionary. London: John Murray. p. 1239. retrieved through Wikisource.org
  2. Harrison, Cy. "British Third Rate Ship of the Line 'Norge' (1807)." Three Decks - Warships in the Age of Sail, https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=5577
  3. Wikipedia entry for HMS Norge (1807)
  4. Family Notices (1838, May 24). Launceston Advertiser (Tas. : 1829 - 1846), p. 2. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84754260
  5. South Australia. (1839, January 19). The Colonist (Sydney, NSW : 1835 - 1840), p. 3. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31722411
  6. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT. (1841, August 21). South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), p. 3. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27442713
  7. THE DEBTORS. (1841, August 11). Adelaide Chronicle and South Australian Literary Record (SA : 1840 - 1842), p. 4. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article195861066
  8. Family Notices (1855, January 11). Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), p. 2. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8778764
  9. Libraries Tasmania's Online collection Name: Walker, John Record Type: Deaths Gender: Male Age: 58 Date of death: 08 Jan 1855 Registered: Launceston Registration year: 1855 Record ID: NAME_INDEXES:1197234 Resource: RGD35/1/24 no 1628 https://stors.tas.gov.au/NI/1197234
  10. DEATH OF LIEUT. JOHN WALKER, R.N. (1855, January 27). Adelaide Times (SA : 1848 - 1858), p. 3. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207021353
  11. LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. (1855, January 10). The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 - 1880), p. 5. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65716844
  12. UK National Archives ADM 45/35/741 Description: Number: 741 John Walker, Lieutenant Royal Navy, who died: 8 January 1855. Notes on executor's application for money owed by the Royal Navy. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9943992
  13. From measuringworth https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/ukcompare/result.php?year_source=1855&amount=28.25&year_result=2021 : In 2021, the relative value of £28 5s 0d from 1855 ranges from £2,809.00 to £91,220.00.
    • labour value of that commodity is £22,920.00
    • income value of that commodity is £31,480.00




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